Two Sides, One Story
by Max Bosis Squared
Summary: During Ken’s first encounter into the DigiWorld, he befriended a young boy, a very special boy. The two grew close together and shared a bond like no other. They were two sides of the same story, both destined to live in darkness, but together they fought


The World of Darkness. The Dark Ocean. Domain of the Undersea Master. This is the world where all dark thoughts are given life; given form. Here darkness is born and here it reigns alongside its Master of the Undersea.

A large hole tears through the thick fog and black clouds in the sky as if they were tin foil. A dark rift widened as a strange beam of light shot down into the ocean. A figure wearing a tan colored cloak with dark brown linings slowly fell down from the portal, growing closer and closer towards the deep black ocean. The figure's hood was pulled tightly over his face, concealing it.

Slowly, it continued on down the beam, but just as it drew closer, a large splash could be heard as something rapidly emerged from the water. He looked down, the figure, and could see something heading up the beam…something with large bat like wings, but he couldn't entirely make the shape out.

_It's coming closer,_ he thought. Suddenly, a red digivice of the D-3 type slipped from his wrist and into his hand as it began to glow. He was ready to brace himself for an oncoming attack…

"RAAAAAAAARGGGHHHH!" roared the beast as it released a devastating, bright red flash of energy that engulfed the hooded figure. He began to plummet even faster towards the ocean, being able to only catch a quick glance at the beast break free through the portal into the other world…

SPLOOOOSH! He collided with the powerful black waves as he began to sink, but no, he couldn't let it end there. He had come here for a mission. He came here to save him. His mission was clear and he was not ready to fail…  
"WAH!" wailed 14 year old Noriko. She quickly shot up in her bed, drenched in cold sweat. She looked around her dark, crowded room, full of clothes on the floor and shoes hanging out the closet. She felt her forehead and began breathing slowly. "…Not again…"

"Noriko?" groaned a Gabumon, the girl's partner digimon. He picked himself off the ground. "…Noriko…"

"…Wh—what happened?" 

"I'll tell you what happened: I was having a nice slumber and for the 3rd day in a row, I was kicked off the bed due to your jerking about!" Gabumon rubbed his head. "I think I broke some…" 

"Gabumon…it was the dream again," she said, looking down at her feet.

Noriko and Gabumon had now moved to the kitchen, with her sitting at the table while Gabumon had boiled her some hot water for tea. For the past couple of days, Noriko had been experiencing strange dreams. Though they would slightly change every dream, they all involved two figures: one wearing a silver and gold cloak and the other in a black and blue cloak, both faces concealed. It involved two roads, she would say: one she is told leads to something she desires and needs, while the other leads towards power and darkness—something else she desires and needs, according to the black cloaked stranger.

"I have no idea what to tell you, Noriko," Gabumon said as he walked over with a cup of hot tea for her. He set it next to her, but she did not even look at it. "I mean—at first I ignored them but now you're saying their becoming more and more realistic. I mean, I don't have these problems—digimon don't necessarily have dreams. And then there's this whole trouble with digimon spontaneously sprouting out of nowhere…"

"They're all after me," Noriko replied, looking out the window. "I…just know it. The dreams, the digimon. They're all connected somehow. That's why the digimon have only shown up where I can reach them. They're after me and…" 

"…It's just a coincidence."

"It's okay, Gabumon. I don't really expect you to know what's going on…this kinda seems like this is something only I can fix, but it's just….I don't know what to do. One guy's telling me to take this road to—to something—I don't know what it is but it feels like I need it, like it's a part of me that I can't live without. And then there's this other one who's…"

"…who's telling you to take this road of darkness," Gabumon finished. "I mean the answer to what road you should take should be quite obvious. Maybe if you just take that other road these dreams will stop and…" 

"It's not that easy." Noriko hugged herself as she felt a tad bit cold. "This—this darkness feels the same as the thing I desire. The darkness feels like it's a part of me as well, like I can't run away from it because I need it. It's calling me…I can hear the waves…the deep, powerful waves calling me…" Noriko's eyes slowly closed as Gabumon turned away to get himself some tea. 

"Waves? Ocean?" Gabumon said, not seeing his partner slowly falling back. "Sounds like a beach to me…"

"Gabumon…?" 

"I personally hate beaches…"

"Gabu…" 

"Beaches here and in the DigiWorld…full of Shellmon and old people in swimsuits…"

"Gab…"

"There should be a law stating that if you have liver spots then you can't wear…"

"GABUMON!" Gabumon quickly whirled around, seeing Noriko looking completely dazed, as if she were going to pass out any moment now. "…The Dark Ocean's calling…" And at that moment, she fell over, passing out on the floor.  
SPLASHH! The cloaked figure shot his head out of the dark water. He spit water out of his mouth and looked around, seeing the island shore ahead. He wasted no time and began swimming forward. He had no idea what that was that attacked him, but whatever it was, he thinks it is gone—at least he hopes it is. If whatever that was escaped the portal that he used to arrive in this world… 

No time for that. He had a mission. He continued swimming for the land ahead, ready to proceed.

He pulled his body from the heavy water and threw himself on the sand. His breaths were heavy as his body ached from the attack, but he would manage. His digivice repelled most of it.

He quickly got up and was on his way. He treaded through the beach, walking along the shore. He had no idea where to find him, the guy he was sent here to look for, but he knew he was here. In mere moments he ended up deep in the forest. It had felt like hours had rolled by while he was walking. He saw nothing but the same surroundings: black trees, black dirt, black sky, black everything. The world was so dark. But as he walked on, there were numerous glowing eyes watching him from the trees and bushes, stalking him. He was warned about this—about these creatures that would attack him.

"_There are creatures in that world that haunt your dreams from the shadows…"_ he was told.

The figure paused as he heard rustling noises. They were ready to attack. He just knew it.

In one blink of an eye, the figure was soon surrounded by at least two dozens dark creatures. These creatures had the appearance of walking shadows with tails. Their lack of shape was not what made them fearful, but their eyes. Their large, yellow beady eyes.

This time the creatures weren't in his dream…they were now reality…

He lifted up his hands and then lowered them down, causing two metal cylindrical objects to slip out into his hands. With one flick of his wrist, a beam of red light shot out from each one. The red light they omitted were the only objects of light in that world, standing out from the black and grey surroundings. The dark creatures slowly backed up as the figure slowly walked around in circled, ready for any type of attack.

The creatures wasted no more time and leaped for the attack, ready to destroy this intruder…  
"AAH!" Noriko shot up again. She had slipped into another dream and was awakened by the sounds of someone screaming, but when she looked around, she saw she was now lying on her couch and Gabumon was staring out the window. "Gabumon, it was different this time…I was at the Dark Ocean and I was drowning. I couldn't swim through the water and—and—Gabumon?" 

She saw her partner was not looking towards her direction, so she got up and crept to the window, wondering what he was looking at. She opened up the window and leaned out, shaking at the monstrous sight.

"…I'll get the digivice," she quickly said as she hurried up and ran to her room. She kicked open her door as she struggled to find her digivice in her mess of a room, but she soon spotted it lying on her bedroom dresser. There it was, her red D-3 digivice. She grabbed it and hurried back out towards the window, but noticed Gabumon was missing. "…Gabumon?"

SMASH! The body of Gabumon came crashing through the wall and slammed on the ground, wounded.

"GABUMON!" Noriko ran to her digimon's aid and looked out the hole in the wall, seeing a large eyeball staring at her. "…Oh no…"

CCRAASSSSH! The head of a Seadramon broke into her home; its mouth wide open ready to devour the two.

"AAAAAHHHH!" she screamed, causing Gabumon to wake up. He quickly opened his mouth, releasing a powerful blue flame from his mouth into Seadramon's, halting the serpent like digimon's assault. "Are you okay Gabumon?"

"RAAAAAGGGHHH!" roared the beast as it moved its head in closer for the attack. Gabumon quickly grabbed Noriko by the hand and jumped out of the way, landing on top of Seadramon's head. The two ran forward and laid flat on their backs as they then slid down the serpent's back all the way out of the hole in the wall and towards the end of its tail. Down the two went, finally sliding off the long tail and hurling themselves into the air, crashing onto the ground. Seadramon quickly broke free from the building and stretched its body out as it spun around and headed down towards the ground.

"GGRAAGGH!" growled Gabumon as he charged ahead and leaped into the air, filling his mouth wit his Blue Blaster flame. Noriko rose to her feet and stared around at the chaos that surrounded her. People rushed to their vehicles to drive off while others ran over others trying to escape the area. Noriko ignored all this as she ran forward to aid her digimon partner, but once she got closer Gabumon was thrown down into the street concrete.

"Gabumon!" She cried. Her digimon struggled to his feet, licking his wounds and fixing his battered dog fur. He sprinted forward again, ready to attack once more.

_These digimon…_ Noriko thought. …_they're getting stronger by each appearance…_

SLAM! Gabumon crashing into a bus stop, knocking over the metal pole that carried the sign.

"Grrrr—first the Bakemon and then the horde of Dokugumon—and now this!" Gabumon struggled to his feet once more, charging forward. He looked up at the large Seadramon as it began lashing its tail, slamming it into the ground and aiming for Gabumon. But the small dog-furred digital monster continued succeeding in his attempts to dodge the assaults.

"I'm com…"

"NO NORIKO!" Gabumon ordered as he leaped atop cars and signs to reach his large attacker. "STAY BACK!" He took one great leap into the air, heading towards Seadramon's face, but quickly the serpent widened its mouth as a powerful, chilling ice blast was building up. 

"ICE BLAST!" A mighty energy blast was released from Seadramon's mouth and was beamed down towards the oncoming Gabumon. 

"GABUMON!" cried Noriko as she quickly ran back to safety. The icy blast hit the ground, the impact blowing him back after he narrowly escaped. "GABUMON!"

Noriko mustered up what little courage she had and charged forward, but quickly halted as Seadramon's head leaned in closer towards her, cutting her off from Gabumon. The sea serpent's head paused and its tongue slithered from its mouth. It let out a long and chilling hiss as it slowly drew in closer. Noriko stepped back, closing her eyes and expecting the worst. Gabumon had been defeated; she was all on her own to face off against this mighty beast. If only…

_DON'T GIVE UP, NORIKO…_

"Huh?" Noriko swore she felt time pause for that instant. The voice of confidence entered her head and she felt that spark of hope yet. But whether she imagined the voice or someone was actually talking to her was a mystery to her. She looked up at Seadramon as he drew in closer and closer, and then she saw a light shine into her eyes. She looked down and saw her red digivice omitting a bright near blinding light. "…GABUMON!" 

"I'M COMING NORIKO! I'M HERE FOR YOOOOOOOOUUU!" And at that moment, the bright light engulfed the area as the word "digivolve" was uttered, and Gabumon then vanished…and was replaced by a large howling wolf…Garurumon…

The Seadramon was almost there as time seemed to have returned to normal pace. As he opened wide, he felt something tugging on his tail, pulling him back. He reared his head and saw the mighty Garurumon biting his tail. With one great pull, Seadramon was yanked and sent flying away into a building. But this did not stop the beast. Quickly the Seadramon broke out of the building he was flung into and flew down to earth to attack Garurumon. The mighty wolf like creature crouched down and sprung into the air, the feathers on his back aiding him to glide upward.

The two creatures glared into each other's eyes, not blinking so much as wincing at the other. Garurumon's mouth opened wide as he prepared his attack, as did Seadramon. Both digimon grew closer as their attacks grew stronger, and finally…they clashed, leading to powerful explosion of powerful light and dark smoke. Noriko fell back and covered her eyes…  
"HYAI!" cried the cloaked figure as he swung his two light-saber like weapons at the oncoming dark creatures. With one swift swing of his laser blade, three were vaporized. The figure did not necessarily understand these attacking creatures, only that they obviously did not feel pain. He attacked again.

More of them seemed to be popping out as he swung left and right and leaped here and there. The dark creatures surrounded him and then leaped in for the attack, but it was no use. As if he knew it was coming, the figure spun around like a human tornado with the light-sabers extended out, destroying anything that moved in. They were all vaporized. But more continued coming out of nowhere to assault the intruder. And more…

And more.

In a matter of seconds, he was surrounded by nearly 3 dozen of the dark creatures, not knowing how much longer he can keep this up. But just when it seemed all hope was lost, a bright light shined from his red D-3 digivice, a light that illuminated the dark area around him. He looked around as he saw the dark creatures vanishing away from the light as if it were poison. When the light died down, they were gone.

He paused for a second, still standing in battle form. He took a few steps back before whirling around, checking both left and right, front and back for any danger. 

There was silence….he was safe for now. He put his weapons away and then ran off deeper into the dark forest.  
The city was damaged heavily, but nothing it wasn't used to already, what with all the previous digimon attacks in the past. Firemen had arrived and police officers as well to help with all the damaged. The medics were there too for anyone who might've been hurt. Noriko and Gabumon sat on the back of an ambulance. The police were going to question them and had already contacted her parents. Most likely the government would get involved as well.

"…Thank you, Gabumon," she said, not looking at him. "I just don't understand…"

"He said your name, Noriko."

"…He what?"

"When—when you ran off in your room to get your digivice, he called your name. It was at that moment I knew he was connected to all the other things that have been happening. He was specifically after you. Someone sent him…"

"But who? What would anyone want…" Noriko paused as her and Gabumon both stared in the same direction ahead and saw a tall man wearing a tan colored cloak with dark brown linings. "…with me…" 

"Noriko," the figure called, "we need you. HE needs you."

"It's the man from my dreams, Gabumon," Noriko said as her eyes widened in shock.

"Who needs here?" Gabumon shouted as he leaped to his feet. "Come on! OUT WITH!" 

"You must come now. All will be explained, but you must come. I assure you, this is not a trick. You are needed…" And at that, he turned around and vanished into a white hole that remained open even after he disappeared through it.

"I have to follow him," she said to Gabumon. "He's the closest thing to an answer right now…and we NEED it." Without a moment's hesitation she hopped on her two feet and ran forward.

"Noriko!" Gabumon called as he followed. "Wait!" Together the two ran into the white hole, and as they vanished it instantly sealed behind them. 

Noriko closed her eyes as something flashed brightly. She slowly opened them, seeing she was no longer surrounded by white light, but instead stood in the middle of what appeared to be a lab surrounded by stone walls. She whirled around quickly, seeing machines surrounding her and all sorts of equipment. She looked over her shoulder and spotted wall with a wide glass mirror. Apparently there was more machinery inside, but she did not bother with it and looked down at her side at Gabumon.

"I think this is a trap, Noriko!" he said as he gritted his teeth at the hooded figure from earlier that stood before him. "Get behind me!"

The hooded man stood completely still with his face concealed and his hands behind his back, perfectly calm. Gabumon glared at him and Noriko quivered, afraid that maybe she HAD wandered into a trap. 

"Please, Gabumon," called a voice from behind. "Please, remain calm." Noriko and Gabumon reared their heads and stared at the man from which the voice originated from. He was a tall and very pale man, with long black hair that almost appeared blue in the light. He wore a long purple trench coat and had a red shirt underneath with a black tie. Noriko instantly recognized him. "…I assure you—this is anything BUT a trap."

"…Yu—Yukio Oikawa?" she said, slightly frightened. "But—I thought…" 

"I remember you now!" Gabumon said.

"But you're supposed to be DEAD!" Noriko said as she backed up, but then realized she was getting closer to the hooded figure. "What's going on here?"

"Yes, I am quite aware that I should technically not be here right now, but allow me to explain: after using the power of the Other World to convert my body into pure energy to help restore the DigiWorld, all that was left of me was my mind and spirit, which together I used to digitally create this form which technically allows me to walk in this plain of existence. Using Laymen's terms, I am merely a ghost, yet with some physical attributes. I am able to touch and feel at some points, and at others I am not…"

"Well if you're Oikawa," Gabumon said, turning towards the hooded figure, "then who does that must make you…"

The man slowly grabbed his hood and lowered it, revealing a man with brown, spiky hair and a ponytail. He looked very young, but had a very serious face.

"I am Gennai," spoke the individual. "I am one of the guardians born into this Digital Plain, here to serve and protect the world."

"Who are…" 

"You may not be familiar with me, Noriko, but I know all about you: you were born with a very weak immune system, leaving you vulnerable to all sorts of illnesses. You were kept inside of your home a lot as a child, being kept away from the outside world and raised inside a bubble until you reached the age of 13…" 

"Gennai," Oikawa spoke as he raised his hand, "thank you, but I believe that is enough." He looked over at Noriko who was looking gloomily down at her feet. She felt bad again, remembering how her life used to be before the Dark Spore came. "…Noriko…"

"Why am I here? Why are we here?" she then demanded. She balled up her fists and glared at the purple coated man.

"…Follow me," he spoke as he turned around and walked towards the large glass in the wall. Noriko wiped a tear from her eye and walked to the glass, peering inside. "Do you see him?"  
The hooded figure had finally stepped outside of the wild forest, leaving the dark trees behind him. He was now on the other side of the dark beach. It almost seemed as if his search was hopeless.

It seemed as if he would never find who he came searching for…who he was sent here to get.

He continued walking on the beach, but then paused as he spotted a figure up ahead.

_No…_ he thought. _It can't be…can it? Have I finally found you at last?_

And just as soon as he spotted whom he came for, he took off after him.

She looked deeper into the room and spotted the machine she had seen earlier. Apparently it was a large metal chair connected by wires to an even large machine surrounding it. There was someone sitting in it; a boy who wore a grey uniform and had long black hair that hung over his eyes. Floating in front of his forehead were two glowing metal balls that seemed to be omitting a strange buzzing sound.

"What is this?" she asked. "Is that…? What's he doing there? What happened to him?"

"Noriko," Oikawa said as he closed his eyes and looked away, "you of all people should know of the cruel life I once lived."

"But it wasn't your fault!" Gabumon said. "You were possessed by Myotismon. You weren't responsible…"

"Is that REALLY true, Gabumon? Sometimes I wonder if maybe I allowed myself to be taken over by Myotismon. Maybe I really AM to blame for all that has happened. I know I should have refused, but deep down inside I feel like I allowed my self to be overshadowed, as if I was aware of the consequences. I've cause much trouble in the lives of the DigiDestined—especially you and our companion strapped to the machine. I feel I must make amends for my sins in the past, by any means necessary…"

Noriko looked away from Oikawa and back at the boy strapped to the chair.

"…Ken…"

"KEN!" cried the figure as he grew closer towards the one he was sent to pursue. He paused as he saw a pale boy with long black hair. The boy turned around, facing the figure, revealing his face and chilling grin.  
"…There is another part to Ken that most do not know about, Noriko," Oikawa said as he walked away from the window.

"During Ken's first encounter into the DigiWorld, he befriended a young boy, a very special boy." Gennai looked at Noriko. "The two grew close together and shared a bond like no other. They were two sides of the same story, both destined to live in darkness, but together they fought it."

"What happened to them? To him, I mean?" asked Noriko.

"No one is sure, exactly," Gennai said. "But I believe he has been whisked away into another world…another DigiWorld."

"Another DigiWorld?" asked Gabumon. "There are other DigiWorlds?" 

"Yes. In fact, there is an entire network of DigiWorlds and different dimensions, such as the Other World, for instance."   
The figure stared at Ken as he turned around to face his opponent, still grinning. The figure pulled out his light saber, knowing that Ken would not come easily.  
"We need you, Noriko," Oikawa said as he pointed at a special door that looked like it was built into the wall. "This door was designed to travel to the other worlds and other dimensions…somewhere, Ken's companion lies. We must find him…it is the least we can do." 

"But what is wrong with Ken? Why is he there?"

"Inside of him lies the Dark Spore, and still it irradiates with dark energy. To create this door and to keep it running, we needed a different type of power source, in this case, the power from his spore. We put him in a pseudo-coma while the machine he is hooked up to drains the dark energy and powers the door to the other worlds…"

"Well then why am I here? What do I have to do with any of this..." 

"Ken needs your help. While strapped to the chair, we had to place his mind in a simulated DigiWorld, but upon arrival, he had lost all his memories. This apparently caused him to become vulnerable to his darker half, which tried to take over, but Gennai intervened, for the most part…Now Ken's mind has been brought to the Dark Ocean, and he needs help."

"The dreams…" Noriko said. "I understand now. The dreams were because me and him share the same type of power; we were both hosts to the spores…I was seeing what he was seeing. But what about the digimon?"

"We sent them," Gennai answered. "Before we could drag you into this battle, Noriko, we had to be sure you and Gabumon could be prepared to handle the hazards that plague the Dark Ocean… There are creatures in that world that haunt your dreams from the shadows…you will face them all, and you will need to be strong, Noriko. The Digi-Dark Ones are quite persistent."

Noriko looked at Oikawa, then at Gennai, and then at Ken who was still strapped to the chair. She then looked at Gabumon.

"You have a connection to the Dark Ocean, Noriko, due to the Dark Spore you once had." Gennai handed Noriko a folded cloak very similar to his. She grabbed it and looked at him again, and then at Gabumon. "…Please, you are his only chance…"  
The figure pulled down his hood, revealing his face…and revealing that HE was actually a SHE. 

"Ken!" she called. "You have to remember me! Do you? It's me, Noriko!"

"…Hmmm, Noriko?" Ken said, looking out into the ocean. "I'm sorry, but the name doesn't quite ring a bell. Nor does the name Ken. He's not here right now, and he's never coming back. I am now and forever the Emperor…the Kaizer I was destined to be…"

"Ken," she called again, "I don't want to have to fight you to make you come to your senses, but if I have to…" Noriko charged forward with the light saber in her hand, but as she grew closer, she noticed Ken was starting to look distorted. He was suddenly vanishing.

"Well," he said, looking surprised himself. "Apparently my time in this world is up, and I must get back to my body now. There is a world out there for me to conquer, but in the meantime…" Ken's eyes glowed a dark purple before he was forced out of the world.

Noriko slammed her fists together, but then paused as she looked out into the ocean. She could see a monstrous, shadowy figure creeping closer and closer towards the shore. The monster had large bat like wings on its back, with a large bulb like head and hideous fangs. It was the king of this world. The master of all things dark in this realm. It was the Dark Undersea Master.

It let out a mighty roar as it hurled a trident towards the shore, aimed directly at Noriko. She quickly leaped out of the way of the attack and landed hard on the ground. She quickly grabbed her digivice as it began to glow. She needed Gabumon more than ever.

"GABUMON!" she cried as she held the device into the air. The ground violently shook as Dragomon, the Undersea Master stomped onto land.

A bright light appeared Noriko and she was forced forward by a large creature. She looked down and saw she was sitting atop Garurumon. She held her light saber high as her and her digimon grew closer and closer to Dragomon. This was going to be the most important fight of Noriko's life. Whether or not she would make it out, she could not determine. 

But as long as Garurumon stood by her side, and she had the help of Oikawa and Gennai behind her, she would make it out alive…hopefully. But deep down inside, she couldn't help but wonder what that creature was that slipped out of the world as she entered, and what happened to Ken?


End file.
